Thought I'd share one more photo of Medicine Bow Peak with you!! The snow is still plentiful up high and the grasses and flowers were sure beautiful!! Come out and visit sometime and we can take the Scenic By-way drive!! It is worth the time and effort to see it!!

This is the 'destination' that I was talking about earlier!! The Hobo Pool in Saratoga, Wy!! At 8 in the morning there were only 2 other people there (they are hidden in the lower right side of these photo's) and the water was just right for this old sore body that I live in!! I have had a really sore elbow and lower back so I sure enjoyed the 'free' use of the hot springs. My brother and I used to spend our summers in Saratoga when our Grandmother and Grandfather lived and worked there when we were a lot younger... I drove around and looked at all of the places that we used to play but boy has that town changed!! There are a lot of rich people living there from the looks of the houses that are built..

This forked horn mule deer buck stood still long enough for me to take his picture this morning on my drive.. He was in the lush green grass right next to the North Platte river just before you get to the 230-130 junction heading west!! He sure is slicked down and really pretty with a nice sets of antlers sticking up between his ears!!

On my scenic drive to my 'destination' I took these 2 photo's to show everyone what the very small insect the pinebark beetle is doing to our forests!! This mountain range is just across from the Brush Creek Ranger station in the Medicine Bow National Forest. If you click on the photo's and can zoom in you can see very clearly how the tree's are dying a slow and painful death due to that nasty bug. Our worst fears is that it is headed to Albany where the cabin's are nestled in among similar trees that will surely suffer the same fate!! How sad!!!

Every day that I am home I look out the back window and see the Snowy Range mountains so today I decided to drive over them and see what is up there!! To my suprise there was an antique car rally (Texas to Alaska) with about 100 or so of those old beautiful restored cars running around on the scenic highway. With open tops on most of them it was a great day with temperatures in the 60's and the sky so blue without a cloud in it. I would recommend that drive to anyone who needs to 'escape' from the rigors of everyday life!! Beautiful!!

Here is the garden plot showing at the far left the radishes, then carrots, scallion onions, swiss chard and the lettuce which are next to the newly planted cherry tomatoe, pepper, and zuccini plants.. Along the fence was green beans that didn't quite make it this year!! Oh well next year is another year and we will try again..

Here we see the hard work that pays off with patience and time!! The garden ( which was repotted after the freeze) with zuccini. squash. cucumbers and a new cherry tomatoe plant, and the planter with the flowers that are loving the new found spaces in the planter boxes.. Who says that patience is a virtue?? Boy am I learning that!!

GARDENING!!!

I made up a table for the gardener to fill the planter boxes and here is what the final product looks like!! Pretty good huh!! My darling wife sure does a good job selecting and planting the right plants for these planters that get both sun and shade.. With the flower beds in the front and the back yards this home sure looks like it is summer time.. They have never looked better than they have so hopefully they will continue to please the eye through the summer and into the fall.. Good Job Becky you have outdone yourself planning and planting all of those plants and flowers!!

TOUGH BEING OUTDOORS!!!

The other day I decided to pull those d*** pig weeds or whatever the name that some scientist has given them in the front flower bed. While I never felt or noticed any bugs or "critters" on me while I was doing that dreaded chore I found several (5) spider bites under my left arm near the "pit"!! Plus the really itchy one on my back where it is impossible to scratch of course..

I had just received an interesting e-mail from a buddy that included some graphic photos of what happens when you get bit by a Brown Recluse Spider so I was a little bit concerned!! I rubbed some medicine on them hoping and praying that the bug that did the munching wasn't one of those nasty little buggers!!

When I got home yesterday evening from work I was in the garage listening to the Colorado Rockies baseball game and I decided to water the garden (what is left of it after the freeze) and the d*** skeeters were really bad. I then proceeded to spray up with the foul smelling bug-spray and continued to mow the grass. They still were bothering me so I mixed up a jug of spray juice and gave the whole yard a coating of Malathon and it really does get rid of them little critters, if only for a little while at least.. Now I feel a little bit better wandering around the yard today knowing that maybe I won't be lunch..

Now I need to make a run to Wal-Mart and get some 'bug bombs' for the crawl space underneath the house and I will then feel like I am the king of this here household!!

So remember to take back your outdoor space you may need to take drastic actions but it is worth it before you get munched on for b'fast,lunch or dinner as it makes it a whole lot more enjoyable!!

Plus it helps to be about 4000 times bigger than they are too!! Take that BUGS!!!!

When her batteries ran low after playing so hard it was sure nice to have a good ole 'nap' to recharge and get ready for round 200!!

Love ya Abby!!

After a long long day of playing, here Grandma Beck finds time to read a book to Abby before bedtime! Ah there is nothing like a good nights sleep in the mountains!! Well that was an understatement but hey we all got some sleep ( I think)...

Here shows everyone but baby Ally going for a 4wheeler ride around the field! While I didn't get a photo of Amber driving you can bet she got her 'driving' time in!! A great big thanks to Great Aunt Bonnie for the use of her little Yamaha 4wheeler.. Grandma "Beck" was comforting Ally cuz she didn't get to go "riding" but wait till next year little one!!

LUNCHTIME!!! Here sitting around the table is JB, Ally, Angelee, Amber and Ryder(Abby was off playing at Bonnies). It was hard work playing with the walkie talkies and running around in the field. So after a quick reload of groceries in the bellies it was off to the field for more fun!!
Note: I stand corrected about who was in attendance.. sorry about that!!

Ally and myself were trying to explain to JB how much distance to leave out for the step! It turned out to more but up there at the cabin whatever it is it is!! And they work just fine too!

Here JB (Dad) and myself are setting the new firebricks in sand after placing them under the top step! Of course there is always a 'woman' there helping us (Abby had lots of fun in the new sand box!!